MR. MCCURRY: Good evening. I just want to very shortly
and very briefly read a statement that results from a meeting this
evening that the President has had with the bipartisan leadership of
Congress, with the Secretary of the Treasury, with the Chairman of
the Federal Reserve, and also the Vice President. The participants
in that meeting agreed to the text of a joint statement between the
President and the bipartisan leadership of Congress, which is now
being simultaneously issued here at the White House and up on Capitol
Hill.

The text of the statement is: We agree that the United
States has an important economic and strategic interest in a stable
and prosperous Mexico. Ultimately, the solution to Mexico's economic
problems must come from the people of Mexico, but we are pursuing
ways to increase financial confidence and to encourage further reform
in Mexico. We agree to do what is necessary to restore financial
confidence in Mexico without affecting the current budget at home.

In a few short moments, I'm going to have two of the
participants in that meeting give you a background session. I'd also
report to you that the President is at this minute on the phone with
President Zedillo, and we'll probably be able to tell you more about
that conversation tomorrow. I'd like to hold -- let the statement
speak for itself this evening, and then provide you some additional
people who can help answer questions.

Q Mike, are you talking about loan guarantees?

MR. MCCURRY: I'll save those questions. I think the
statement, as I say, speaks for itself -- and allow some of our
officials who can tell you more about some of the technical aspects
of this a little later on.

Q So you didn't agree on a specific financial plan
for Mexico?

MR. MCCURRY: I don't think that's accurate, but I'll
turn that over to some of the people who --

Q Are there still negotiations or discussions
underway or is this --

Q Why don't we ask the people who are going to tell
us?

MR. MCCURRY: I want to conclude with this portion of it
and then go to people who will be well-equipped to answer your
questions.

Q The next part is all background, senior
administration officials?

MR. MCCURRY: The attribution will be U.S. officials.

Q You mean this crowd that's standing here, that are
on camera?

Q Well, now that they're on camera --

Q But they're already here. Isn't that a little
ridiculous to put it off camera if the senior officials are standing
right here?

MR. MCCURRY: It's not, for reasons that we want to
provide you the best information we can provide you.

Q The one question not affecting the budget, though,
is an issue of appropriation. Are we saying that there will be no
additional appropriations?

MR. MCCURRY: I'm going to, again, leave that to people
who I think will be able to help you. Thanks.